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(No Model.) I 3 Sheet sShe et 3.

Y J. B. & Q. E. DRAKE.

- STATION INDICATOR.

- N0. Z59,1O7. Patented June 6, 1882,,

I .WITNESSES I lNVE/gTigRS 6, f iw mwim, 'fflywmvmw 'ez. ATTORNEYS N, PETERS, mmuma npmr, Wuhingtnn, DC

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. DRAKE AND CHARLES H. DRAKE, OF \VATKINS, NEW YORK.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,107, dated June 6, 1882.

Application filed March 11, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, JAMES B. DRAKE and CHARLES H. DRAKE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Watkins, in the county,

of Schuyler and State of New York, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Station-Indicators and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a side view, side plate removed, showing our invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the indicator, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.

This invention has relation to station-indicators for railway-trains; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the side belts, their connecting-rods and depending station-flags, the pulleys to which the ends of said belts are attached, the ratchet-shaft,

its pulleys, and the endless bands overlying the side belts.

The invention also consists, in connection with the devices mentioned above, of the spring -retracted slides and pawls, the two ratchet-wheels, reversed with reference to each other, and the device for holding out of engagement the pawl which is not in use, all as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

The object of this invention is to furnish means for indicating the various stations as they are approachedon a continuous line of railroad, a flag being employed for each station on the line, and being plainly lettered on each side with the name of this station. The indicator should be placed as near the center of the car as convenient.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the case, having a slot or opening, B, in its bottom, the edges of which are provided with rises or shoes at to-prevent the flags from dropping prematurely.

In bearings b in the caseare seated the journals of three shafts, G, D, and D,the first being below the others, and carrying the driving-wheels E and the ratchet-wheels F.

The driving-wheels or pulleys E are formed (No model.)

with edge flanges, c, and rounded notches d are made at equal distances apart in the rims or flanges, as shown in the drawings. The driving-wheels or pulleys E are arranged ata suitable distance apart to receive the ends of the flag-rods e, which carry the name-flags G. The flag is reversible, having the name of the station on each side, there being aflag for each and every station on the line of the railway. The flag G is made shorter than the distance between the pulleys E, so that it does not interfere with the movement of the flag-belts H, which pass around under said pulleys E up to the pulleys K of the shaftsD and D, to which, respectively, the ends of the flag-belts are attached and arranged in such a manner that when the belts are unwinding from the pair of pulleys K on one shaft they are winding up on the other pair. The ends of the flag-rods e are strongly secured to the flag-belts H, so that when the shaft 0 is turned the moving beltscarry along the flags, so that they fall one by one through the opening B in proper position to show the name of the next station.

Overlaid on the flag-belts H, and passing around the pulleys E and D, are the endless belts I, which bind the flag-rods to their proper places. The belts I are kept strained constantly by means of bearing-pulleys f.

On the shafts D and D are spools k, flanged at g, and carrying a cord, h, of which one end is attached to each spool. This cord is so arranged on these spools that it is winding up on the spool of the shaft D when the flag-belts are unwinding from the drums or pulleys K thereof. So, also, with reference to the shaft D,the cord 71. is being unwound from its spool k while the flag-belts are winding up on the drums K of this shaft. In this mannerpower is provided for moving the flags in opposite directions. The straining-cord h is tightened and kept in tension by means of a tighteningroller, 1, which is actuated by means of a drawspring, m, at each end.

The driving-shaft O is operated in the following manner: On the end of the shaft are two ratchet-wheels, F F, which are reversed with reference to each other. Over these ratchet-wheels, which are arranged near the end of the case, extend slide-bars L', only oneof which is shown, in bearings n, the ends 10 of said bars projecting from the case for the at tachment of a pull-rope or wire, 10. A retracting-spring, s, is connected to the end of the slide-rod and bears againstone of the bearin gs n, in which said slide-rod is seated. To the slide-rods L are pivoted the pawls P, one for each ratchet-wheel, these latter being turned in opposite directions thereby when the sliderods are pulled. In order to keep the pawls P out of engagement with the ratchets when the slide-rods are not operated, the pawls are provided with an extension or head, q, and a stop, 1', is arranged to bear against this head, raising the pawls high enough to prevent engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheels. The ratchet-wheels may be arranged one at each end of the shaft G; or they may be placed together at one end of said shaft, as shown in the drawings. A rubber block or bumper, j, is placed on the case-wall or on the end of the slide-rod to prevent jarring when the spring acts to return the pawl or ratchet-dog P. In addition to the retracting-spring s a weight, Z, is usually employed, its cord t passing over a pulley, z, to the slide-rod, to which it is attached. The object of this construction is to provide against accident, either the spring or the weight being suflicient to retract the sliderod.

The indicator can be operated by pulling either of the cords attached to the slide-rods, and thereby cause a sufficient movement of the drive-wheels E on shaft 0 to raise the flag which has been in view up into the ease and to draw the next one over the opening, so that it will fall through the same below the casein position to be seen. Each flag is provided with a weight-rod, r, atits free end, which insures proper movement and steadiness.

An alarm-bell, N, may be operated by means of a pin, 2', attached to the slide-rod, said bell serving to call the attention oftravelers to the change of name on the indicator.

The indicator can be operated automatically by means of a post having a hanging arm arranged at each station near the railway-track, and a pivoted draft-lever attached to the side of the car.

P indicates the catch-post, having a hanging arm, a, which is provided with a stop, I), so arranged that the arm can swing from the iieipendicular position in one direction only.

0 represents the pivoted draft-lever, having a draft-arm, 0, towhich the indicatorcordis attached, a catch-arm, d, which is designed to engage the hanging arm of the catchpost, and a spring, e, engaging a bearing,

of the lever. When the car passes the catchpost the catch-arm d of the lever is designed to strike the hanging arm a so that the draftarm 0 is drawn back sufficiently to operate the indicator, changing the station-flag.

Having described this invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a station-indicator, the combination of the shaft 0, having the notched-rim pulleys E, the upper shafts, D D, having the drums K, the flag-belts H, passing around all of the cylinders, and flag-rods c and flags G, the ends of said rods extending across the belts H and into the notches in the pulleys E, substantially as specified.

2. In a station-indicator, the combination of the shaft 0, having the notched-rim pulleys E, the upper shafts, D D, having the drums K, the flag-belts H, passing around all of the cylinders, and flag-rods c and flags G, the ends of said rods 6 extending across the belts H and into the notches in the pulleys E, the ratchet-wheels F on the shalt O, and the spring-retracted pawl-slides L and pivoted pawls P for operating the flags, substantially as specified.

3. In a station-indicator, the combination of the shaft 0, having the notched-rim pulleys E and ratchet-wheels F, the shafts D I), having the drums K and spools 7c, the flag-belts H, passing around all of the cylinders, and carrying the flag-rods e and flags G, the ends of said rods 0 resting in the notchesd of the pulleys E, the straining-cord h, adapted to be wound and unwound upon the spools 7c, the endless belts I, overlying the flag-belts H, and the spring-retracted pawl-slides L and pivoted pawls P, substantially as specified.

4. In a station-indicator, the combination, with the reversed ratchet-wheels F on the driving-shaft G, of the retracted pawl-slides L, their pivoted pawls P, having extensions (1 at their upper ends, and the stop 22, whereby the pawls P are disengaged from theratchetwheels F when the slides L are in their normal positions, substantially as specified.

In testimony that we claim the above we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES BURGESS DRAKE. CHARLES HERMAN DRAKE.

Witnesses:

N. W. ABBEY, A. T. ABBEY. 

